In the Dead Sea region, control of water is a source of political friction and presents an ecological quandary that threatens the drinking supply for inhabitants. A research project from New York-based architect Phu Hoang Office seeks to address and solve these site specific issues with ‘No Man’s Land’, a series of artificial islands that would provide recreation, tourist attractions, renewable energy, and create fresh water.

The project was shortlisted in the Architectural Association’s Environmental Tectonics 2007 competition for its innovative approach to a complex issue. Showing how architecture can be part of multi-disciplinary solutions, ‘No Man’s Land’ tackles the environmental, political and humanitarian problems related to the procurement of fresh water for the region.

As a network of built islands with three distinct designs, ‘No Man’s Land’ would create an artificial archipaelago that employs a variety of building technology. In order to become a source of fresh water, the islands will extract water molecules from the air to be desalinated. Salinity gradient solar ponds, water purification tanks, and water filtering processes will all be integrated into the designated “water islands” of the chain. The other two island designs will be for tourists and solar energy production, providing self sufficient power as well as creating revenue.

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7 Comments

…i guess everything is possible with technology…well, let’s just wait for its development.,
it is really doubtful and unbelievable but i want to believe it…i just want to…+639394602921.

tohmaxOctober 16, 2009 at 6:15 am

…well, let’s just wait for its development. for this moment, everything is possible with technology., though it is really doubtful and unbelievable to extract fresh water from that kind of source/ area…just let them prove it could be…come what may. all i can say is…go on…goodluck and go bless!

kimberly kleinschmidtAugust 15, 2009 at 11:05 am

agree with seeker. As with the Teatro de Agua, my concerns are 1) what happens to the ‘other’ end product of this – the salt and 2) the idea is not to destroy one resource for the sake of another – how can desalinization projects create a surplus of water to replenish not only what has been taken from the atmosphere but also what has been taken from the source water?

SeekerJune 17, 2008 at 5:28 pm

This idea is absolutely crazy.

First of all, one of the problems with the Dead Sea is that it is drying out. When driving past there you can literarily see lines of salt on the cliff-face left by falling water levels and islands of salt in the middle of the body of water. A few short decades ago there was enough water in the Dead Sea that you wouldn’t see either of these.

Also the water is so salty that the slightest splash of water in your eye or mouth can necessitate a trip to the emergency room. How in the world do you propose to engage in large scale construction projects or even transporting people to these artificial islands? This is a solution in need of a problem.

While I applaud the effort to provide more drinking water to the inhabitants of the region to try and desalinate the saltiest water in the world and ship it out will destroy the Dead Sea making the plan a very short-term solution to the drinking water problem. This idea could severly damage a wonder of the world that is not only unique but depended upon by many for its medicinal properties used to treat many skin diseases and other conditions.

If you really want to come up with something clever for the Dead Sea find a way to replenish the minerals that are being used up in cosmetic products and add water to the Dead Sea now that there is no longer anything flowing into it.

ScottJune 17, 2008 at 1:24 pm

awesome, thanks!

sjanderson23June 17, 2008 at 12:46 pm

In the 70’s, dad would just pour the used motor oil on the weeds inthe backyard, we’ve come a long way since then.